~~~ CHAPTER 24 - BREAK ~~~
My first semester in the university came to an end. I took the final exams and, thankfully, I passed all my subjects.
It had been a month after that hospital incident. Since then, Nigel became as cold as ever. He became more inaccessible, unreachable, and invisible as ever. It was like we were not residing in the same place.
It was also the time when the Sarmiento Corporation flourished even more and became even more successful. It became the talk of the country. It was like Nigel worked himself to death.
During the semestral break, Diego and Mommy Carol fetched me from the capital so I could have a short vacation at The Fields. Of course, I was ecstatic to learn that they were fetching me for I missed The Fields very much. The travel was no longer super scary for me. Perhaps, it was because mom was with me holding me in the hands and whispering kind, soothing words to me. What would I do without her?
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"Serge's inviting me to go to his parents' place this sem break. Shall I go?" Kara's excited voice met my ears the moment I accepted her call. I was still in the car, now traversing the country road from La Carlota to The Fields.
"Wow, that's great!"
I was happy with how her relationship with Serge turned out. He was now her boyfriend and I could tell she was falling head-over-heels in love with him. Now, she could tell how it was to fall in love.
"You think so?"
"Of course! Go meet his parents, Kara. That was supposed to be not a question. When the guy asks you to meet his parents, just go. You should be thankful about that. Besides, few guys would offer something like that to their girlfriends," I told her what I felt.
When it comes to love, you just give your all. No question marks! Just periods! Was I even sure about this?
"Thanks, Thea. You're really the love expert here," she said excitedly. "Okay, I'll go. Wish me luck."
"Good luck. Enjoy, Kara."
"Thanks a bunch. Enjoy your vacation, too," she said and that ended our conversation.
Mommy Carol clasped my arm. "We're already here, darling."
I looked around and we were indeed entering the magnificent iron gate to the palacio. I was very excited.
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"I missed you so much, Elena." I hugged her when we finally saw each other. She was in the main door when we arrived, apparently waiting for me.
"I missed you, too, Thea," she hugged me back.
The other servants were also there lining up, looking excited as they beheld me. I greeted each of them. It was a welcome that I didn't expect.
Then, Elena and I held hands as we went upstairs to the second floor where my room was located.
The palacio was still the same --- huge, spacious, silent, museum-like. Only Elena's voice and mine were heard in the hallway.
When we reached my bedroom, I immediately lay down on my ever-missed bed. Oh, God!
"So, how are you and the señorito?" Elena giggly asked me as she sat on the side of my bed.
Nigel.
What would I tell her about Nigel? She knew everything about my unrequited love and she probably was expecting that there had been some development in my relationship with Nigel now that we had been living together.
I rose up and sat beside her. "He had a girlfriend there, Elena," I spoke seriously, calmly.
She stared at me with big wide eyes. Then, she hugged me. "Oh, I'm sorry, Thea."
"Don't be sorry for me," I said trying to appear strong as I embraced her back.
"How are you coping up?" she whispered.
"I think I've got a strong and tough heart. I'm still okay."
Was I really okay?
Hugging Elena, I didn't know what came over me at this moment. It was just like I felt the world was on my shoulders. My heart beat painfully... and I cried... cried harder... like there was no tomorrow for crying.
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The following day, the first place that I visited in The Fields was my lagoon. Nothing had actually changed there. I was happy about it. Once again, I saw the sparkling water in it, the beautiful flowers blooming as ever and, of course, the colorful butterflies just flying everywhere. It was a sight to behold.
"You are to attend a charity event tomorrow night at the governor's mansion, darling," mom told me when I arrived from the lagoon. She was in the library and she ordered Elena to tell me to go straight to her once I arrived.
Sitting on a couch in front of her, I was glad with what I had heard.
"Charity event?" The term kind of rang a bell in me since I actually intended to visit the children in the village on Saturday together with Elena and Diego. I missed them and I was planning to treat them for lunch.
"Well, it's actually a thanksgiving party and gala ball for all the major donors of the provincial social welfare department," she explained.
"A ball?"
She nodded. "Well, I told Nigel about your fond of helping people especially the children in La Carlota. The provincial social welfare department is accepting some help from private sectors on their literacy and health programs. I was thinking that these programs will include your subjects in La Carlota, so I asked Nigelito Juaquin to donate."
"Uh-huh?" I was speechless.
So did he donate?
"Nigelito donated a generous amount to the department."
What?
"Really, mommy?" I couldn't believe that the cold Nigelito Joaquin Sarmiento was donating for the welfare of the underprivileged children in our province! "Wow, that's really great!" I kind of heard the flapping of my heart. It made me admire him even more.
"So get ready for tomorrow. Nigel will be coming and the two of you will attend."
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The travel to the governor's mansion would take about 30 minutes so I had to make myself ready by 5:30 in the afternoon. I was surprised when I saw what I was to wear to that ball. Mom brought it to my room.
"Do you know that I had to urge Stefano for this gown? I'm glad he met the deadline," she said excitedly. She was referring to a famous designer in the capital. It probably cost her a fortune plus the fact that she had it delivered straight to The Fields.
"Oh, my God! It's beautiful, mommy! Thank you so much," I said as I embraced her.
"You deserve the best, darling. Okay, make yourself ready 'cause Nigelito will arrive any minute from now."
It excited me to think that I was going to a ball with my Nigel. I couldn't wait for it!
Mom helped me get dressed, do my hair and make-up. Even if Kara taught me some basic lessons in applying cosmetics, I still wasn't very confident in doing it myself. I was just thankful that mom was there for me.
When everything was almost done, as I couldn't wait to scrutinize myself, I looked at myself in my whole-body mirror and I was shocked to see my reflection there. It looked like it wasn't I who I was staring at. Was I seeing a Greek nymph in front of me?
The delicate gown flowing down to my silver stilleto heels perfectly flaunted my slim figure. Being sleeveless, figure-hugging and low-cut in the front, its upper part flaunted the hollow crease in between my breasts. When I turned around, I was stunned to see that my back to my waistline was totally bare. The upper portion, which was made of a silver fabric, was fully decorated with silver embellishments that I looked very expensive! Its lower part, the section from the waist to the hemline, was floor length and all-black, with a high slit on the left showing a portion of my left thigh. I was in total awe about myself! I looked like the sexiest princess on earth!
My hair, the upper portion of which was pinned at the back to clear my face from distractions, was just hang loose at my back. The silver dangling earrings plus the make-up on my face, though unfinished, made me look very sophisticated already. I didn't know I could look this beautiful!
Minutes later, a maid knocked on the door announcing that the Master of the Fields had already arrived. Mom told me that he wasn't using his car this time. Hiring a private pilot, Nigel was using his newly bought chopper. Seriously? Getting even richer now, huh?
When we went to the balcony of my room, mom and I saw the landing of the chopper on the palacio ground. Some of the servants ran towards it to help carry Nigel's things. Finally, he came down but it was too far for me to see his face clearly. I hadn't actually seen him for a long time already. When I left the condo for my short vacation here, we hadn't seen each other for two weeks already. As I said, he had been avoiding me ever since that time I had that flu. I missed him so much.
Mom told me to do the finishing touches on my face while she went to welcome him.
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"Are you ready, darling?" I heard mom call from behind the door.
"Yeah, mommy."
I went out of my room and she seemed awestruck staring at me. "Oh, darling! You're what exactly I picture out for my perfect daughter-in-law! You look amazing!"
When I swirled in front of her to show off to her once more the gown she gave me, mom gasped as she got a glimpse of my back, "You've got gorgeous skin, darling. Very beautiful. I'm so proud you've grown this beautiful."
Seconds later, both of us traversed the winding staircase down to the living room where Nigel, as mom said, was waiting for me.
Indeed, he was there standing with his black tailored suit. He looked very clean favored and, of course, I would never fail to mention, very strikingly handsome. I had to take a deep breath as soon as my eyes beheld his appearance. Only the great Nigelito Joaquin Saavedra Sarmiento could make me feel this way.
When my heels made some landing sounds on each single stair, all people in the living room ceased their activities and all their eyes were on me --- the servants who were there at that moment cleaning, Elena who was passing by and carrying a bundle of flowers, Diego who was trailing behind her bringing a large flower vase probably for the dining table, and Nigel who was standing by the grandfather clock. He was, at first, watching intently the time the clock was showing; but, when he heard my footsteps and mom's, he immediately looked up to me on the staircase and our eyes met... like it was a natural thing for the both of us to do.
We locked each other's gazes and I couldn't tell how many minutes we spent in staring, even as I was stepping down the stairs. I felt the goosebumps were all over me. He was the most handsome guy in the world... for me.
Mom and I went closer to him in the living room, near the grandfather clock and I still couldn't take my eyes off of him.
"Okay, enough with your exchange of stares. You're making me giggle," mom exclaimed and both Nigel and I turned to her.
Nigel cleared his throat and said in a husky voice, "So, we're leaving now, mom."
"Yeah, of course. Enjoy!" Mom said in a teasing tone.
"Bye, mommy." I kissed her in the cheeks.
Then, I glanced at Nigel and I caught him staring at me. Staring at me when I wasn't looking at him? Really?
He looked away and walked out first choosing to go through the patio, not through the gigantic main door. Wasn't he going to wait for me?
I almost ran to keep up with his long strides. It wasn't easy for me to walk that fast for I wasn't too comfortable wearing very high heels. But I tried my best to manage it.
When he reached the car parked outside, he immediately got into the driver's seat. So, he was to drive tonight. It would mean there would only be the two of us tonight. Trying myself not to stumble, I lifted up the skirt of my gown with my right hand and walked slowly towards the passenger side. Standing before it, I had a hard time thinking how to open the door with my right hand lifting my gown and my left hand clasping my silver clutch bag.
So Nigel wasn't going to open the door for me, was he? He was inside trying not to care at all. So handsome yet so ungentlemanly!
Suddenly and thankfully, Diego whom I noticed was at the living room a while ago came after and opened the door for me.
"Thank you so much, Diego," I exclaimed in relief.
"Anything for you, my lovely señorita," Diego said smilingly, blushing and showing his dimple in his left cheek.
When I was finally inside the car, Diego closed the door for me. Nigel, on the other hand, was watching me with his disdainful eyes.
"What the hell was that?" he asked.
"What?" I didn't know what he was asking about.
"You flirted with each other in my presence! How impervious!" he muttered clenching his jaws.
What? Flirting with each other in his presence? Was he jealous?
Oh, my God! Miracle!
"Are you jealous?" I asked seeking his eyes. But he looked at the opposite direction.
Nigel just clenched his teeth, didn't reply, and started to drive the car.
Whatever he was thinking right now bothered the wits out of me. If he was jealous, why couldn't he just say it? If he was indeed jealous, that meant he had feelings for me. If he was really, really JEALOUS, then I had to explain to him for the nth time that Diego wasn't my boyfriend!
If he wasn't jealous, why did he have to get angry all of a sudden? If he indeed wasn't jealous, that meant his being angry now wasn't making any sense. If he really, really was NOT JEALOUS, then he had to stop clenching those damn teeth of his!
No, no, no... I should refrain from getting angry now. I had to keep my composure or else it would ruin my beauty. So I just rested my case and pretended nothing happened.
Moments later, I decided to talk.
"Thank you very much for your donation to the provincial social welfare department, Nigel. It'd mean a lot to the children."
I heard him drew a deep breath before he spoke, "Anything for you, my lovely princess." He cast me a scornful look and his tone --- he was copying Diego's tone a while ago! Only that he replaced the señorita with a princess!
He couldn't really get it over, huh?
Was Nigel really jealous?
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A/N
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Lovelots,
(sapphiregirl22) ~_^